The vast majority of the multitude of portable and small electrical and electronic devices, components, and systems (and in some cases even larger systems), as well as virtually all toys with electrical or electronic features, rely on utilization of one or more batteries (or “energy cells”) as their primary source of energy. These energy cells are typically removable and replaceable, so that when the electrical energy stored in the cells is no longer sufficient to power the device or system in question, the depleted cells can be readily removed and replaced with new ones.
While disposable energy cells (i.e., cells that are meant to be discarded when they are depleted) are used most commonly, rechargeable energy cells have also gained increased popularity in recent years. Such cells may be recharged a certain number of times after partial or complete depletion, either while remaining in the device itself (provided that the device is equipped with appropriate recharging circuitry and connected to an external power source capable of recharging the cells therein), or, more commonly, the rechargeable energy cells are removed from a device and then placed into a separate charging apparatus (connected to an external power source capable of recharging the cells therein) for a period of time sufficient to regain a desired level of capacity.
There is a wide variety of commonly available energy cells based on different battery technologies (some of which offer rechargeability as a feature), including, but not limited to Alkaline, Nickel Cadmium, Lithium, Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), silver oxide, etc. Moreover, the vast majority of the available and most commonly used energy cells, are each associated with an industry standard classification that indicates their size, shape, terminal layout, and electrical characteristics. This classification is typically expressed as an alphanumeric code, such as a one to three letter code for the most commonly used batteries (e.g., AAA, AA, C, and D), but is also expressed in other ways, such as designations of “9-Volt”, “Lantern”, AAAA, A23, CR2, etc. Additionally, miniature or “button” batteries have their own classification codes that start with letters SR, LR, and AG, followed by one or more numbers. It should also be noted that in practical use, the battery classification code, which has several informational items associated therewith, is also commonly referred to as the battery “size”. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, the above-described energy cell classification code will be referred to hereinafter as the “battery size”. It is well known that batteries of certain sizes are in more common use in electrical and electronic products intended for different market segments. For example, AAA and AA batteries are most commonly used in consumer electrical and electronic products and components, and especially in smaller devices, such as personal media players, handheld games, and remote controls, while larger devices (such as portable radios, larger toys, etc.) utilize C and D size batteries.
On the other hand many electronic and electrical devices intended for professional use most commonly utilize 9-volt batteries. Yet other types of electrical products, such as flashlights, utilize a wide variety of battery sizes, depending on the flashlight size and its intended usage (personal, home, camping, professional, law enforcement, etc.).
Additionally, certain devices have relatively small battery drain characteristics—typically these devices are not in continuous operation during use, only drawing upon a battery charge very briefly, for example in response to a user momentarily activating the device—for example, conventional remote controls can operate for months before requiring battery replacements. However, a majority of electrical and electronic devices typically require replacement batteries after days or even mere hours of usage—either due to their extended continuous operation, or due to a high energy drain per use, or due to a combination of both. Such devices include, by way of example, mechanical toys and certain professional or industrial portable electrical and electronic equipment.
As a result of the aforementioned proliferation of electrical and electronic devices requiring various sizes of batteries (e.g., AAA, AA, C, 9-volt, etc.), coupled with relatively short lifetimes with utilization of most electrical and electronic devices, most household, offices, or other facilities must keep a significant number of spare batteries of various sizes on hand. Additionally, travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and professionals working in the field, typically carry a number of spare batteries with them to power their electrical/electronic devices.
In vast majority of the cases, regardless of their size, batteries are sold in “blister packs”—thin plastic tray-like containers backed with cardboard, which are inconvenient to store and carry (especially when the packs contain many batteries), and which are essentially useless for storage once opened (e.g., by removing or tearing the cardboard package backing), due to the loss of integrity of the packaging, and due to the difficulty of identifying the stored batteries from the back of a partially torn pack. Of course, carrying an opened blister back poses additional problems, as batteries will certainly fall out and become mixed with other transported items, or lost.
Moreover, because many individuals do not always discard depleted batteries (especially if they have been only partially depleted, and/or in view of environmental disposal considerations, etc.), and thus store them along with the fresh ones, carelessly stored depleted batteries may intermix with new ones. Also, when batteries are stored or carried with their terminals exposed, there is the possibility that the terminals would be crossed either by conductive objects (e.g., keys, change, etc.), or even by one another, which would result in rapid discharge, heating up, and even leakage of the affected batteries, if left in such contact over a period of time.
An additional challenge exists in storing batteries of multiple sizes in one place, as is typically done—certain battery sizes appear quite similar (e.g., AAA and AA), such that the users may take incorrect size batteries with them.
Furthermore, when a number of incomplete battery, packs are stored, especially in large quantities, the total on-hand amount of fresh batteries of each size—may be difficult to quickly ascertain.
Additionally, there are quite a few situations in which multiple batteries of specific sizes must be located and dispensed quickly and efficiently, and/or on-hand quantities assessed, often without the benefit of sufficient available light, for example in field situations where the needed batteries must be carried (e.g., during travel, during professional activities (e.g., filming or photographing in the field, or in military, law enforcement, scientific, or medical field operations, etc.), or in other situations during which needed batteries of predefined sizes must be immediately available for dispensing, (e.g., during sound-stage, on-location or studio filming or recording (e.g., audio, video, or A/V recording) sessions, professional photography sessions, etc.). Yet another challenge arises in situations where the person who needs to quickly locate a specific quantity of specific size batteries and prepare them for use only has one hand available, for example if the person is holding a piece of equipment, or if the person's hand is otherwise occupied (such as during climbing, etc.). The above needs are almost impossible to meet when the batteries are carried loose, in makeshift containers, or even in their original packaging (especially once that packaging has been opened).
The above-described challenges of previously known typical approaches to storing, transporting, and “managing” the necessary multitude of energy cells of various sizes in household, professional, and/or industrial settings, and during travel and/or field use, are not exhaustive by any means, and are just representative of the more prevalent problems confronting those who use, and/or who must replace, energy cells frequently and/or in large quantities. To address at least a portion of the above these challenges, a number of solutions for storing and/or dispensing energy cells have been proposed over the years, that may be broadly classified into two broad categories—(1) facility-based solutions for storing and/or dispensing large quantities of energy cells in one location, such as wall-mounted systems (some with gravity-based dispensers), or large storage containers (or furniture drawer inserts), for example having separate sections for batteries of different sizes (in certain cases, the sections being shaped and configured to retain and substantially immobilize batteries of specified sizes therein); and (2) portable/field solutions, most often implemented as simple small lidded plastic containers (e.g., boxes) sized for certain battery sizes (or for more than one size), some of which may include region(s) shaped and configured to store and retain batteries of a specific battery size, either formed into the container itself, and/or into one or more trays (optionally removable from the container), or alternately implemented as elongated cardboard boxes, typically with a tear-away portion exposing an open region large enough to enable a small number of batteries to be removed therefrom at any one time (e.g., by positioning the open region over a person's hand and shaking out a desired number of batteries).
Unfortunately, as can be readily ascertained, most of the aforementioned previously known solutions only address a very small portion of the above-described challenges. While they at least in part solve the problem of mixing multiple battery sizes during storage, and alleviate the need to store or transport batteries in open blister packs, the vast majority of challenges remained unanswered. In particular, none of the aforementioned solutions address the need for quickly identifying battery sizes, quantity on-hand, and/or quickly and easily dispensing multiple batteries of a specific desired size, esp. in lowlight conditions, or where the dispensing individual only has one of their hands available for managing the dispensing of batteries.
However, one recent solution attempted to address a larger portion of the challenges associated with storage, management, and dispensing of batteries, than previously known approaches. This solution has been disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,648, entitled “Battery Holder and Dispenser”, issued Oct. 30, 2007, to Richard Foreman et al (hereinafter, the “'648 Patent”). The '648 Patent discloses various embodiments of a device for holding and dispensing batteries that comprises an elongated “skeletal” structure with multiple individual compartments each configured for releasably storing a single battery of a predefined size in a manner which exposes a portion of the battery to the user's feel, with each compartment including a releasable retaining element for retaining a battery inserted therein until the element is manually, and individually released by the user separately, or through manipulation of the stored battery to overcome the element's retaining strength.
While the solutions proposed by the '648 patent appear to solve a portion of the above-described challenges (e.g., the problems associated with sorting, storing, and carrying batteries), they only partially address several other challenges, fail to address certain challenges at all, and actually cause additional problems under certain circumstances. Or example, while the '648 patent purports that the holder/dispenser disclosed therein makes batteries easy to dispense therefrom, while holding the device in one hand, that only holds true if one or two batteries are being dispensed—because the batteries are stored in individual compartments along the entire length of the device, the user must change their grip after ejecting only one or two batteries before having to reposition the device to access additional individual battery chambers (increasing the likelihood of the device being dropped). Additionally, while it may be relatively easy for most users of the device of the '648 patent to force one or two batteries out of their individual holding areas past their respective retaining components, for dispensing of multiple batteries, the required repositioning of the device in the user's hand after each battery ejection will quickly become uncomfortable, or even painful or unworkable for weaker individuals, individuals suffering from fatigue, or those with medical problems (such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.)—at the very least leading to frustration, and/or to inability to continue to operate the device, or quite likely to the device being dropped (an even more likely scenario if the dispenser is wet, and/or if the user's hands are sweaty or otherwise moist. Because the device of the '648 patent must balance the ease of releasability of each stored cell with the force retaining it in its compartment during use, it is quite likely that if the device is dropped (as may easily happen after continuously using it to dispense multiple cells), at least a portion of the cells are very likely to be undesirably ejected therefrom, and/or to be damaged (due to the fact that all of the stored cells are largely exposed by the structure).
Therefore, device of the '648 patent has at least the following serious drawbacks:                (1) because each battery is stored in its own compartment, dispensing more than one or two batteries at a time can quickly become uncomfortable and/or tiring, requiring continuous repositioning of the device and increasing the likelihood of it being dropped (possibly losing and/or damaging the stored batteries) commensurately with the number of batteries being dispensed;        (2) unless the batteries are held very securely in their compartments (thus exacerbating the problem (1), above), dropping of the device is likely to lead to damage to, and/or to loss of, stored batteries;        (3) just as it is difficult and frustrating to dispense a large number of batteries one at a time, the device is similarly frustrating and difficult to load with new batteries, requiring each loaded battery to be forced past its retaining element in each individual compartment;        (4) the stored batteries are exposed to the elements and to their environment when transported, and are exposed to being damaged or ejected if the device is jostled or dropped;        (5) the skeletal structure of the device offers many protrusions that may snag on a variety of objects interfering with its quick use;        (6) it may difficult to quickly distinguish between batteries of similar sizes (such as AAA and AA) since the user must rely only on seeing the exposed portions of the batteries;        (7) it is difficult to quickly ascertain the quantity on hand of larger capacity devices;        (8) the exposed skeletal nature of the device removes the possibility of adding valuable features thereto, such as battery capacity testing, dispensing assisting light, etc.; and        (9) the exposed skeletal nature and the required structural integrity of the device of the '648 patent makes it unsuitable for retail packaging and/or for disposable device applications.        
It would thus be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and rapidly and easily dispensing multiple energy cells, that is optimized for convenience and ease of use. It would also be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and dispensing energy cells that securely stores the cells therein and substantially protects them from impact likely to occur during ordinary use thereof. It would further be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and dispensing energy cells that facilitates quick and convenient removal of one or more of the cells from the housing by a user, preferably utilizing only a single hand. It would additionally be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and dispensing energy cells that enables quick and easy identification of the size of the cells stored therein, and/or to quickly ascertain the remaining quantity stored. It would moreover be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and dispensing energy cells that enables quick and easy loading of one or more replacement cells therein. It would furthermore be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and dispensing energy cells that comprises one or more additional features, such as low-light cell quantity and/or size assessment, a dispensing assistance light, other electronic features (e.g., recharging, flashlight, radio, USB recharger, etc.), decorative, promotional, and/or advertising elements on the outer casing, manually activated or automatic rapid indication of each cell's remaining capacity prior to its ejection by a user, manually activated or automatic indication of each stored cell's remaining capacity, and/or pocket and/or belt attachment positioned on the housing. It would additionally be desirable to provide an apparatus for storing, managing, and rapidly and easily dispensing multiple energy cells, that is optimized for convenience and ease of use, and that is capable of being fabricated as an inexpensive disposable product, that is preferably suitable for retail packaging.